Freshmen dominate at Papio Invite
OMAHA — Freshmen ruled the singles competition at the 21-team Papillion-La Vista Invitational boys tennis tournament, as a pair of ninth-graders blew away the competition on a hot, windy day at the Koch Family Tennis Center on Monday.
Omaha Burke freshman Jackson Withrow established himself as the No. 1 singles favorite at next month’s Class A state tournament by defeating Papillion-La Vista South senior and former state champion John DeVose 6-3, 6-3 in the finals.
Withrow, who’s also beaten Lincoln East’s Brandon Videtich twice this fall, improved his high school record to 21-0 with his four convincing wins. He disposed of North Platte senior Kyle Obermeier 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals before handing DeVose, the 2005 state champion and 2006 state runner-up, his first loss in 27 matches this season.
“I coached Stuart Waters as a senior, and Jackson’s in the same category as he was,’’ Omaha Burke coach Matt Shafer said. Waters, a state champion at Omaha Central in 1997, went on to play No. 1 at the University of Iowa.
“Jackson’s more than just a great tennis player and fierce competitor,’’ Shafer added about Withrow, who won eight matches at last month’s 14-and-under National Hard Court championships. “He’s very humble, a good student and someone you want to have on your team.”
Lincoln Southeast freshman Grant Tesmer took home the gold medal at No. 2 singles, moving his record to 14-0 with four straight-set wins and losing only 11 games in the process. He breezed past Omaha Westside’s Aaron Placzek 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match.
The team title in what’s been called “the mini-state meet’’ went to Omaha Westside, which won both doubles divisions with Ke Arkfeld and Andrew Mellen at No. 1 and Richard Booth and Matt Hagan at No. 2. Westside edged defending state champion Omaha Creighton Prep 34-30 for the championship plaque.
The younger Withrow let his racquet do the talking. His consistent baseline game cut through the gusty southwest wind and eventually forced a frustrated DeVose into errors, something he often does to his opponents.
Withrow also found success attacking short balls when given the opportunity and putting DeVose on the defensive by coming into the net.
“He controlled the match and I let him play his game,” DeVose said. “I beat myself.’’
Like Withrow, Tesmer handled the difficult playing conditions most of the time.
“Against the wind, I flattened out on the ball and hit through it and with it (the wind), I tried to hit more topspin and bring it down into the court,” Tesmer said. “It worked pretty well.’’
Grant is the fourth Tesmer who’s played for Southeast coach Tim Tidball. Grant’s older sister Tara was a state champion doubles player, while both older brothers Eric and Brett were also standouts.
“Grant’s like a No. 1 singles player and having him together with Seth (Garnett, Southeast’s No. 1 player as a sophomore) is definitely a luxury,” Tidball said. “Grant has good tennis strokes, but with all the basketball he plays, Grant’s also a heckuva athlete and a very solid competitor. That’s a pretty good combination.”
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
Omaha Burke freshman Jackson Withrow established himself as the No. 1 singles favorite at next month’s Class A state tournament by defeating Papillion-La Vista South senior and former state champion John DeVose 6-3, 6-3 in the finals.
Withrow, who’s also beaten Lincoln East’s Brandon Videtich twice this fall, improved his high school record to 21-0 with his four convincing wins. He disposed of North Platte senior Kyle Obermeier 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinals before handing DeVose, the 2005 state champion and 2006 state runner-up, his first loss in 27 matches this season.
“I coached Stuart Waters as a senior, and Jackson’s in the same category as he was,’’ Omaha Burke coach Matt Shafer said. Waters, a state champion at Omaha Central in 1997, went on to play No. 1 at the University of Iowa.
“Jackson’s more than just a great tennis player and fierce competitor,’’ Shafer added about Withrow, who won eight matches at last month’s 14-and-under National Hard Court championships. “He’s very humble, a good student and someone you want to have on your team.”
Lincoln Southeast freshman Grant Tesmer took home the gold medal at No. 2 singles, moving his record to 14-0 with four straight-set wins and losing only 11 games in the process. He breezed past Omaha Westside’s Aaron Placzek 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match.
The team title in what’s been called “the mini-state meet’’ went to Omaha Westside, which won both doubles divisions with Ke Arkfeld and Andrew Mellen at No. 1 and Richard Booth and Matt Hagan at No. 2. Westside edged defending state champion Omaha Creighton Prep 34-30 for the championship plaque.
The younger Withrow let his racquet do the talking. His consistent baseline game cut through the gusty southwest wind and eventually forced a frustrated DeVose into errors, something he often does to his opponents.
Withrow also found success attacking short balls when given the opportunity and putting DeVose on the defensive by coming into the net.
“He controlled the match and I let him play his game,” DeVose said. “I beat myself.’’
Like Withrow, Tesmer handled the difficult playing conditions most of the time.
“Against the wind, I flattened out on the ball and hit through it and with it (the wind), I tried to hit more topspin and bring it down into the court,” Tesmer said. “It worked pretty well.’’
Grant is the fourth Tesmer who’s played for Southeast coach Tim Tidball. Grant’s older sister Tara was a state champion doubles player, while both older brothers Eric and Brett were also standouts.
“Grant’s like a No. 1 singles player and having him together with Seth (Garnett, Southeast’s No. 1 player as a sophomore) is definitely a luxury,” Tidball said. “Grant has good tennis strokes, but with all the basketball he plays, Grant’s also a heckuva athlete and a very solid competitor. That’s a pretty good combination.”
Reach Ron Powell at 473-7437 or rpowell@journalstar.com.
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